Australian news, and some related international items

Qld opposition fears nuclear power plants, new.com.au by: Marty Silk October 24, 2012THE Queensland opposition says allowing uranium mining in the state will eventually lead to a nuclear power industry. Premier Campbell Newman announced on Monday the state would lift a decades-old uranium mining ban, despite saying before the March election the Liberal National Party had no plans to allow it.

Deputy Opposition Leader Tim Mulherin said he fears Mr Newman, like some of his federal counterparts, wants to build nuclear power plants in Queensland. “He’s proved his word on the nuclear industry is worthless,” Mr Mulherin told reporters. He said if the coalition were to win the federal election next year, it would be “a recipe for nuclear power
plants in our state and all the risks they pose”. Nationals Senator Barnaby Joyce’s pro-nuclear power stance should
worry all Queenslanders, he said.
Mr Mulherin said the only thing standing in the Newman government’s way of introducing nuclear power is the Nuclear Facilities Prohibition Act.
The act, introduced by the former Labor state government in 2007, requires a federal plebiscite to allow nuclear power plants. “But if the Newman government repeals the act, our state is wide open to the plans of Senator Joyce and others in the LNP pushing us down the nuclear path,” Mr Mulherin said……
Bans at both levels of government have prevented uranium mining in Queensland since 1982, when the Mary Kathleen mine, near Mount Isa, ceased production.http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/national/uranium-mining-no-greater-risk-qld-govt/story-e6frfku9-1226502416198#ixzz2AKgTBMPw